As of today, 13 December, the Queensland government has re-opened their borders to NSW after reaching 80 per cent double dose vaccinations, allowing fully vaccinated people to travel between the states without a quarantine period.

While the opening is a welcome move, some businesses south of the border say the timing isn’t ideal for a recovery. 

At Lightning Ridge, 64 kilometres South of the border, floods coming from every direction have meant that the expected boost to tourism is almost impossible, with the closest border crossing at Hebel closed due to water. 

Lightning Ridge Visitor Information Centre Manage Di Kurl said that tourism numbers for the town have reached 148 this December, much fewer than the 1,682 tourists they saw come through in December last year. 

“There’s been people in town for a few weeks waiting for the borders to open and now they can’t get over the border because it’s flooded,” Ms Kurl said. 

"The flooding extends from Hebel, at the border, rising to Dirrinbandi and St George."

Ms Kurl said that the potential road closure from Walgett could damage visitor numbers even more, in what is already a slow period for the town. 

“We usually get them coming from Queensland and moving around but this is definitely our slow period as we come into the heat,” Ms Kurl said. 

With both heat and flood levels against them, tourism isn’t expected to recover until at least March, after the water makes its way further west and the weather cools. 

Further along the border at Barringun, Road House and Caravan Park owner Jan Ballantyne doesn’t expect to see the excessive border traffic that has been reported closer to the coast. 

“There’s been a few coming and going today, but I would expect to see just a steady stream until Christmas,” Ms Ballantyne said. 

“Summer is really over for us, the temperatures are so hot that people don’t travel unless they have to,” she said. 

Over the last months while the Queensland border has been closed, their business has barely seen a traveller, supported only by truck drivers passing through.

“It’s been dead, COVID killed us. Lucky we’ve got trucks which keep us going,” Ms Ballantyne said.

Flooding has rendered many of the Western Queensland border crossings into New South Wales impossible, despite the official opening. 

Tourism aside, the border openings were a welcome opportunity for families and friends across the border to reunite after months of regulations and compulsory quarantine timeframes. 

Until local and Queensland water recedes, it’s unlikely that locals will be able to reap the full benefits of the changes.